Author: moshe
Olmert Travelling to Meet Pope at Vatican: Mt. Zion on their Minds??
Motsei Shabbos; December 9, 2006;
Readers of this blog may recall a number of posts on this blog in November, 2005 regarding meetings which took place between President Katzav and the Pope which were to have included negotiations and possible agreement regarding a possible hand over by Israel of Mt. Zion to the Vatican.
Thankfully, the meeting took place but Mt. Zion is still in Jewish hands thanks Ellen Horowitz who issued a warning which quite a few bloggers picked up on and which resulted in pressure on President Katzav.
“Wake Up Jew, Wake Up, It’s Time to Fight Them…”
Motsei Shabbos, December 8, 2006;
Column One: Jews Wake Up! by Caroline Glick (Jerusalem Post)
For context, click on In Memory: Jeanne Kirkpatrick and Surrender Monkeys, both recent offerings by Barak of IRIS
“The citizens of the State of Israel must also take to the streets. The government that led us to defeat in Lebanon this summer is leading us to a disaster of another order entirely. All citizens must demand that Olmert, his ministers and the generals in the IDF General Staff make an immediate decision. They now hold the responsibility for acting against Iran. They must either act or resign and make way for others who will.”
Can Israel’s Self-Hating, Self-Loathing Leaders Read the War Writing on the Wall?
Motsei Shabbos, December 8, 2006;
Security and Defense: Strong Winds of War By Yaakov Katz (Jerusalem Post)
For context, click here.
“The Hizbullah protests in Beirut, defense officials warned, have the potential to topple the US-backed government of Prime Minister Fuad Saniora. If that happens, these officials predicted, UNIFIL could be expelled from southern Lebanon and Hizbullah would be able to return to its border outposts, just like before the war.”
“Hizbullah “nature reserves” – camouflaged underground systems of tunnels and bunkers – are still operating in southern Lebanon, despite the beefed-up presence of UNIFIL. These areas are… used as training centers for Hizbullah and storehouses for its weapons caches.”
Shabbos War News or Olmert’s Censors Working 24/7 to Spin Bogus “Ceasefire(sic)”
Motsei Shabbos, December 9, 2006;
Rocks Thrown at Israeli Car Near Ramallah
Arab Armed With a Knife Apprehended at Machpelah
Egyptian Police Cause Security Alert at Taba Crossing
Commentary;
If anyone believes that this is all the war-related news that there was over Shabbos, we’ve got a bridge to sell — cheap! MB
In Absence of National Solidarity and Mutual Responsibility, Corruption, Graft and Evasion Rules
Friday, December 8, 2006;
Public Opinion is Dead, By Ze’ev Sternhell (Haaretz)
“Olmert also knows something more important: Our society has changed. A generation separates us from the Yom Kippur War and about a quarter of a century has elapsed since the Israel Defense Forces’ entry into Beirut. Israeli society has broken up into its constituent parts, there is no solidarity or mutual responsibility and the already meager opposition lacks leadership.”
Excerpts;
It would be interesting to know what would have happened at the end of 1973 had the chief of staff at the time, David (Dado) Elazar, decided that he would be the one to investigate himself, or if then chief of staff, Rafael (Raful) Eitan, had appointed a commission of his own on the matter of Sabra and Chatila in 1982. And how would our streets look today had prime ministers Golda Meir and Menachem Begin appointed commissions whose moral authority was doubtful from the outset? Indeed, the state commissions of inquiry Meir and Begin decided on were not established because of their desire to do so, but instead because they were compelled to do so by public opinion. Nonetheless, they bowed to the judgment because they had a sense of moral and public obligation far beyond their formal obligation.
PM’s Stonewalling Delays Comptroller Investigation and Possibility of
Friday, December 8, 2006;
Prime Minister’s Office Withheld Documents Pertaining to War Probe
By Ze’ev Schiff (Haaretz)
Commentary;
It now seems obvious that Prime Minister Olmert has stonewalled the
State Comptroller for some 3 months regarding providing all of the documents and information and any other material which the State Controller deems pertinent to his investigation of the government’s handling and management of last summer’s hostilities in Lebanon according to Basic Law.
Friday War News, or; Another Day at Olmert’s Censorship Office??
Friday, December 8, 2006;
Kassam Rocket Lands in West Negev; No Casualties
IDF Arrests Three Palestinian fugitives in West Bank
Bomb Hurled at IDF Near Nablus; None Wounded
Commentary;
3 war-related news stories on Erev Shabbos? Olmert, if you are trying to spin this as cease-fire and “peace(sic)”, give us a break. As the old American adage goes; “you casn fool some of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the people all of the time.” MB
Gen. Amiram Levine, Military Probe: Halutz “Directly Responsible” for IDF’s Poor Performance
Thursday, December 7, 2006
Report Says Halutz Erred in His Management of Forces, by Yaakov Katz (Jerusalem Post)
Commentary;
Now, the question is, will Halutz now resign having been found directly responsible? Or will he emulate Arik Sharon who committed to honoring the results of the Likud referendum on Gush Katif and then simply ignored it? MB
Excerpts;
In the harshest criticism of the IDF since the end of the war in Lebanon, Maj.-Gen. (res.) Amiram Levine, former head of the Northern Command, accused Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Dan Halutz in a probe he conducted for the military, of direct responsibility for the IDF’s poor performance in its fight against Hizbullah.
Hamas Demands Prisoners With Jewish Blood on Their Hands
Thursday, December 7, 2006;
Mastermind of 2002 Netanya Hotel Bombing on Hamas List for Prisoner Exchange, By Avi Issacharoff and Amos Harel (Haaretz, AP)
For context, click here, here and here for this blog’s posts regarding possible prisoner releases in exchange for Gilad Shalit.
“Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has hinted recently that he would agree to the release of some prisoners who had been involved in attacks that claimed the lives of Israelis.”
Excerpts;
Hamas has recently prepared a list of leading Palestinians held in Israeli prisons that the organization will demand in a possible deal for the exchange of abducted Israel Defense Force soldier Gilad Shalit.